After the severe blow of Coronavirus in the last two years, this year Eid comes to us with auspicious joy and festivity. Although the Covid-19 situation has improved, many Bangladeshis are yet to fully recover their losses incurred during the pandemic. As there is no injunction like social distance, people are rushing home to enjoy the festivals. To celebrate Eid with relatives in the village homes is important for the people of Bangladesh as it mingles the urban-rural difference for a while.
With the global pandemic situation eased significantly, Bangladeshi expatriates, most of whom are low-paid migrant workers in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, are hoping for a better Eid celebration this year, leaving behind the pandemic-induced economic horror. Bangladesh saw an increase in inward remittance in March ahead of the Arabic fasting month of Ramzan. More than one crore Bangladeshis living in over 160 countries have sent $ 1.85 billion in remittances in March this year.
Local business is already showing an uptrend as people are thronging shopping malls for mainly apparel items that spin the wheels of the economy. Comparatively, roads and highways are smoother and major tailback is not seen during the homecoming rush. In the last five years, there have been 2,318 fatalities on the roads during the last five Eids, which means that close to 500 people have died every time.
We must be vigilant against any emergence of another pandemic. At the same time, we also can’t afford more lockdowns or the closure of schools. Therefore, everyone must make sure that they follow the health safety guidelines. The authorities need to make sure this is the case as well. We are seemingly out of the woods and yet, the danger of the 4th wave of the Covid pandemic may loom as it happens in some countries. As such, the authorities must do all they can to make sure people follow the health guidelines while stocking up on medical supplies and bolstering our medical apparatus in general. There is no need to panic, but being careful has never hurt anybody in this Eid.
